The 275 gallon tote: 1,041 litres of default.
Price 275 gallon totes
Grade A, B, C, rebottled or new — tell us the liquid and the quantity and we will quote a delivered price.
A 275 gallon IBC tote measures 48 × 40 × 46 inches, holds 1,041 litres, weighs 125 lb empty and about 2,418 lb full of water. Reconditioned units run $135–$195 in our yard, rebottled $195–$260 and new $290–$360. It fits a standard pallet position, a standard rack bay and a standard forklift, which is the entire reason it became the standard.
From the yard
Every number on one page
- Nominal capacity275 gal / 1,041 L
- Brim capacity≈ 288 gal / 1,090 L
- Footprint48 × 40 in (1,219 × 1,016 mm)
- Overall height46 in (1,168 mm)
- Bottle height≈ 42 in
- Liquid fill height≈ 38 in
- Cage diagonal≈ 62 in
- Outlet centreline≈ 6 in above ground
- Tare weight125 lb (bottle ≈ 55, cage & pallet ≈ 70)
- Gross with water2,418 lb
- Wall thickness2.2 – 2.8 mm HDPE
- Outlet2 in butterfly, S60×6 buttress
- Lid6 in vented or solid
- Stack rating2 high transit, 3 static
- Freight class (empty)NMFC 150–175 by density
Gross weight by liquid
The single most useful table on this page. Check it against your forklift, your rack beams and your floor loading.
| Liquid | Specific gravity | Net liquid (lb) | Gross (lb) | Minimum forklift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 1.00 | 2,293 | 2,418 | 3,000 lb |
| Beer / wort | 1.04 | 2,385 | 2,510 | 3,000 lb |
| Vegetable oil | 0.92 | 2,110 | 2,235 | 2,500 lb |
| Fruit concentrate (65 Brix) | 1.32 | 3,027 | 3,152 | 4,000 lb |
| Cane syrup | 1.42 | 3,256 | 3,381 | 4,000 lb |
| Sodium hydroxide 50% | 1.53 | 3,508 | 3,633 | 5,000 lb |
| Sulphuric acid 93% | 1.83 | 4,196 | 4,321 | 5,000 lb |
Three mistakes we see every month
Buying for volume, not headroom
Forgetting the specific gravity
No vent on the lid
275 gallon FAQ
What are the exact dimensions of a 275 gallon IBC tote?
48 inches long by 40 inches wide by 46 inches tall including the cage and pallet — 1,219 × 1,016 × 1,168 mm. The bottle itself is roughly 42 inches tall; the difference is the pallet base and the cage top rail. Liquid fill height sits at about 38 inches, and the outlet centreline is about 6 inches off the ground.
How much does a 275 gallon tote weigh full?
About 2,418 lb with water — 125 lb of container plus 2,293 lb of liquid at 8.34 lb per gallon. With a 1.2 specific gravity chemical it is closer to 2,877 lb, and at 1.4 it reaches 3,335 lb. Check your forklift rating against the actual liquid, not the water figure; a 3,000 lb forklift will not lift a full tote of anything denser than water with any margin.
Why is 275 gallons the standard?
Because 48 × 40 inches is the standard GMA pallet footprint, and 275 gallons of water at about 2,400 lb gross is close to the practical limit for common forklifts and pallet racking. The size is a compromise between volume and handling that the whole North American logistics system has been built around, which is why it dominates by such a margin.
How many 275 gallon totes fit on a truck?
A 53 ft flatbed carries 40 empty totes single-stacked, or 80 double-stacked. Full, weight limits you long before space does: at 2,418 lb gross you reach an 80,000 lb GVW around 18 to 20 units depending on the tractor. A 26 ft box truck with a liftgate handles 12 empties or 6 full.